Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Update: Courtland Sutton, WR DEN

Levi Chappell

Editor’s Note: To help you dominate your rookie drafts, this series will feature a look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of over 40 dynasty rookie draft prospects and run all through the month of May and even into June. We’ll cover all the premier prospects but also give you critical information on some of the lesser known talents. All of these rookie updates will be loaded into our ever-evolving 2018 Rookie Draft Guide – the ultimate resource for dynasty enthusiasts all over the world.

Name: Courtland Sutton

Position: Wide Receiver

Pro Team: Denver Broncos

College Team: SMU

Draft Status: Round two, 40th overall

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Video Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuXlcSuhPKw

Combine Review

  • Height: 6’3”
  • Weight: 218 LBS
  • Hands: 9 3/4”
  • Arm Length: 32 3/8”
  • Bench Press: 18 Reps
  • 40 Yard Dash: 4.54 seconds
  • 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.11 seconds
  • 60 Yard Shuttle: 11.06 seconds
  • 3-Cone Drill: 6.57 seconds
  • Broad Jump: 124 inches (10’4″)
  • Vertical Jump: 35.5″

Strengths

Sutton is everything you would want in a wide receiver. He has prototypical WR1 size at 6’3’’ and almost 220 pounds. He is very athletic and was highly productive in college, putting up back-to-back 1,000-plus yard and double-digit TD seasons. All of that production came from poor quarterback play as well.

Be sure to keep checking our Complete Dynasty Rookie Rankings for constantly updated rookie values!

He has a big frame and a large catch radius which a quarterback will love. One of the most impressive things about Sutton is his ability to fight through contact on routes and not get hung up by the defender. He routinely made difficult catches while defenders were draped all over him.

His ability to adjust to poorly thrown balls and make difficult catches paired with his exceptional size makes him a mismatch for many defenders.

Weaknesses

There were two aspects of his game which I consistently saw in his tape which could spell trouble for him in the NFL. The first: once he has a step on his defender, especially on deeper routes, he was not able to create much separation. He will need to find a way to utilize his size more in order to create space against quicker and elite level competition.

The second aspect of Sutton’s game that needs to be addressed is the effort. I believe this stemmed from him playing in the American Athletic Conference. He knew he was better than everyone else on the field, and on many plays, that showed. He would casually break out of his routes or simply rely on his size to go over the top of a defender instead of using proper technique. Those things won’t fly in the NFL.

Opportunities

His effort was referenced above, so I think Denver is a really good landing spot for him. It will allow him to learn from Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders for at least a year or two. They can teach him how to be a student of the game, how to use proper technique, and how to utilize the size and athleticism that he possesses.

It was a slightly disappointing landing spot for fantasy purposes due to the lack of immediate impact that he will be able to make, unlike if he would have been drafted by Dallas or Baltimore or Indianapolis. From a dynasty perspective though, I think it is a quality landing spot. The Broncos have shown to be an organization that can win and produce elite wide receivers. As Thomas (age 30) and Sanders (age 31) get older, Sutton will be able to take over more responsibility. Patience young grasshopper… his time will come.

Threats

As I stated above, the only threat right now is the lack of opportunity available due to Sanders and Thomas receiving the bulk of targets. The Broncos typically operate with a balanced offense, so once he is given consistent playing time, his value should rise.

Short-Term Expectations

Sutton will be penciled in as the WR3 for the Broncos, and the coaches will be curious to see what type of impact he can make, so he will be on the field. I am sure he will have quite a few highlights in his rookie season as well, but they may be spread out more than many had hoped. If you own Sutton or plan on drafting him in a rookie draft, it will be for the long haul, not immediate impact.

Long-Term Expectations

This is where you can feel excited. Imagine an offense where Sutton is the number one receiving option… with his talent and size, I could see big things for him. Sutton could make a big fantasy impact in less than two years if the cards fall right. If you are a team that will be contending in a year or two, I recommend investing in Sutton now, before his value rockets upward.

NFL Comparison

I will list two types of comparisons; his ceiling and his floor.

Ceiling: A comparison for Sutton that I really like is Jordy Nelson. Nelson is also 6’3” about 220 pounds, and he ran a 4.51. Many of the strengths that were listed for Jordy sound very similar. A good combination of size and physicality, fights through contact, and has good hands. Jordy’s weaknesses coming out of college were that he had difficulty separating from defenders and didn’t come out of breaks with explosiveness. I could see Sutton eventually being a 1,000-plus yard receiver with double-digit TDs.

Floor: Sutton has loads of potential. That doesn’t always mean success, but I am hoping that Sutton has a career like Nelson’s (minus the injuries). Physically Sutton also compares to Mohamed Sanu. Sanu has never had elite athleticism but has found a nice niche in the NFL as the WR2 for the Falcons. He has put up about 700-800 receiving yards and five TDs for the last two years. Although, I think that Sutton is too talented for that to be his stat line.

Projected Range in Rookie Drafts

In the latest DLF Rookie Rankings, Sutton is ranked as the eighth overall rookie and the second WR. I think eight may be slightly high as I think you will find him being selected closer to the back end of round one. His value will differ slightly based on the lack of immediate impact he will have. He could go as early as eighth, or he may slide to 11th or 12th. If I have a later first round pick, I will gladly take a player who I firmly believe will develop into a pro bowl caliber wide receiver.

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levi chappell